December 02, 2013

Winter is Just a Walk in the Park

Having initially moved to London from Germany, I thought there would be no substitute for the famous German Christmas markets (Weihnachtsmärkte). My premature assumption was proved wrong by Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland. This was my second year attending the spectacle, and from the mulled wine (Glühwein) to the aptly German-named stalls to the transformative state of the park, Winter Wonderland had me every bit convinced, and a lot less homesick.

Having initially moved to London from Germany, I thought there would be no substitute for the famous German Christmas markets (Weihnachtsmärkte). My premature assumption was proved wrong by Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland. This was my second year attending the spectacle, and from the mulled wine (Glühwein) to the aptly German-named stalls to the transformative state of the park, Winter Wonderland had me every bit convinced, and a lot less homesick.

Photo courtesy of Hyde Park Winter Wonderland

Where my flatmate and I currently reside in Bayswater, we live in close proximity to Kensington Gardens and we have the pleasure of early morning walks to our university campus as we casually pass Kensington Palace. With this brings the added bonus of being a twenty-minute walk away from Hyde Park. For those of you not living in the vicinity, making your way to Winter Wonderland by way of either tube or bus is just as convenient. It’s just a matter of who spies the bright lights and familiar shapes of fairground rides first to navigate the route.

This time, we approached Winter Wonderland by sneaking up on the Ferris wheel through the woods as it morphed from a tiny starburst into a massive sprawl of light as we became ever nearer to it. The night’s agenda had already been established in our flat beforehand: make a beeline for a crepe stall. A rich and sumptuous treat such as a Nutella crepe is only really excusable on such an occasion and I was more than willing to take advantage of that. However, my wandering eye did betray my poor beloved crepe once or twice, with other stalls offering me doughy pretzels, chocolate-covered strawberries, and even bratwursts, or sausages.

Often, it felt as if we were swimming against the tide in a large and aggressive ocean. Everyone was on their own mission, whether it be to find the closest Christmas ornament stand or to listen to live music or to experience that first all-over body warming sip of mulled wine. My flatmate and I decided to break with tradition and grabbed a cup each of mulled cider. Let me just say, that was some potent stuff! Although it might have seemed harmless enough at the time and the preferred option to mulled wine, it definitely had a punch that knocked me enough so that finishing it would have had serious repercussions.

The “before” photograph of tasting the mulled cider in its full glory, photo courtesy of Heidi Maunder

Splayed out at Winter Wonderland is the United Kingdom’s largest ice rink, which is tastefully decorated with colorful fanned out lights draped in mid-air. While tickets must be purchased, skate rental is free. Also available for booking is the Magical Ice Kingdom, a tour around ice sculptures in fanciful designs, the Ferris wheel with various seating options inside the pod, Zippos Christmas Circus, and Zippos Cirque Berserk, which is a slightly more dangerous circus experience that involves less ball juggling and more knife throwing.

Photo courtesy of Hyde Park Winter Wonderland

Not to mention, there are plenty of ride favorites that are sure to delight and also to terrify. We settled for the haunted mansion ride, which elicited some probably irrational screaming on my part. However, little did I know that I would exit the ride being able to say that Freddy Krueger had caressed my hair, but I guess that’s one to cross off the bucket list. There are various token booths situated around Winter Wonderland, which can be used for access to children’s rides and general rides. For those wishing to keep their hair free of Krueger’s claws, roller coasters, a fun house, a drop tower, and suspended swings are more viable options.

Preparing to embark on the haunted mansion ride, photo courtesy of Heidi Maunder

If there were any excuse to get some last minute Christmas shopping done, it would be at a Christmas market. Although, you might find yourself, like I did, perusing and trying on furry Cossack hats that you know none of your relatives would ever wear. You, on the other hand, might just find use for one…along with an assortment of gemstone jewelry, a few beeswax candles, and definitely some more Christmas decorations. Maybe just push yourself to the limit with one last crepe, but switch it up and go for the Kinder Chocolate or sugar and cinnamon variation.

Sometimes, it can be easy to lose sight of the Christmas spirit and replace your festive self with a Scrooge-like character because you are swamped with schoolwork, mithered by something at work, or just plain stressed about Christmas shopping and card sending. If this is the case, I prescribe a high dose of Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland until you feel better. Just don’t try the mulled cider, unless you’re feeling brave. It could potentially have the opposite effect.

Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland is open from 10a.m. to 10p.m. every day until January 5th, excluding Christmas Day. Plan your visit here and experience a taste of Germany done in a flashy and all-out London way.